deciduous soul

summer projects

2011-06-03T12:05:00.007-05:00

yay! summer is finally here, and maybe now I'll post more often (are you sure once every month or 2 isn't enough? :)

had some wisdom tooth issues at the end of the school year, so it's taken some time to feel good and feel like I'm on vacation. This is the first summer in quite a while that I have no obligations except those to family, sewing, and home improvement projects.
I did have a rush order that required a bit of a marathon sewing session mid-week, and I missed sleep entirely one night, but after 12 hours of sleep last night I feel refreshed. (gotta do a 12 hour sleep every once in a while- sleep does make us look younger, right?) so no guilty feelings here, I deserve it!
my daughter just graduated from high school - I won't go into all the emotional details of having an 18 year old right now, but I'm looking forward to spending some time with her this summer, before her adult life goes and gets all serious.

We are planning trips to the zoo, mini- golf, late nite runs to walmart- her idea, she loves doing that for some reason- and possibly a trip to the east coast to visit family. (The 2 of us haven't taken a plane trip since she was 4, so it's a bit overdue. I just do not travel by plane very often, not my thing. ) We also are planning some more fashion photo shoots, since the ones we did together last summer turned out so incredible. I used one of her shots for my new business cards. I am the designer/ stylist/ casting call director / location scout/ reflector holder, and she is the photographer. We make a great team, and I think it's great experience for her future career in photography.
here's a picture from my late night sewing marathon for a bride who's getting married TOMORROW in Tennessee! She is having a rustic/ southern barn wedding and wearing cowboy boots:) sounds perfect from one southern girl to another - enjoy your special day sarah!

coral-luv

2011-04-08T20:18:00.006-05:00

the hot color for spring, in my opinion, is coral. but not the old 'grandma is getting fancy tonite coral' lipstick color, this is more fresh, and a little bit pink.

I recently fed my addiction to this color and bought some chiffon, in just the most perfect pinky-coral you've ever seen. I am currently working on something preeeeeeety with it!
I have a pair of steve maddens in gray suede that look similar to these:

but I think I really neeeeeed the coral ones!
back in 2007 Lanvin was already workin' this amazing color:

I recently was wowed by the amazing local designer jane round (who is still in high school!) with this little crumb catcher piece:

2011-04-07T13:50:00.002-05:00

boutonniere
French boutonnière, from Old French, buttonhole, from bouton
these little lovelies are so fun to make, and there is such a variety of materials to choose from, like wheat and leaves for fall weddings, or flowers created from felt.

They are small, so they don't take a lot of time to make either. I'm working on a whole line for summer and fall!

color palette

2011-02-19T15:38:00.001-06:00

i know a lot of the arguments against polyvore, but it's kind of cool to look at my collections and see my taste in colors all together...

trees trees and more trees

2011-02-02T11:46:00.005-06:00

i guess there's a reason my business is named deciduous soul, i just can't stop loving trees.
on my work table today:

just trying to find my medium sized hole puncher for the fallen leaves on the hill...
also, many of you know i live in a very small house, and I've been wishing for the last few years that i just had an extra closet, if an extra room wasn't possible.
drumroll please....
i decided we could feasibly put a closet in an unused space in between the kitchen and the living room, as there was an extra doorway leading into the hall that was not necessary. we had previously built tiny shelves in the doorway and had cd's on it (that kev won't get rid of, but that's another story)
and there was a large bookcase sitting in front of the doorway. Confusing, i know.
so here are the first pics of the framing and the door. we had no idea what we were doing, but it was actually one of the easiest home improvement projects ever.

i conveniently hurt my back at the gym over the weekend, so kev has been a trooper doing the drywall cutting and lifting and screwing and sawing and mudding.
i shall do the painting at the end :)

little houses

2011-01-15T17:15:00.005-06:00

inspired by the tiny collaged scrabble tiles that I've been making for a long time, these are 8x8 painted collages on wood. aaaahhhh, true love ~ it's been very meditative to sit and work on these, cutting, gluing, painting, very different from sewing.
if only there were more hours in the day!
'protected'

'house on bowery hill'

'legend'

they'll be in the shop ~

2010 RECAP

2011-01-10T09:39:00.003-06:00

today we got our first snow day of the year, and I've been in a reminiscing mood lately, so I figured today is as good a day as any to journal how 2010 was.
I've been thinking a lot lately about creativity, and how it gets stifled. I don't know about anyone else, but I always seem to have a constant flow of ideas and things I want to do/make.
The one word I can say about 2010: BUSY
4 (four) fashion shows, in January, end of March, the BIG one in September, and then one small one in November.
Also a challenging year as a parent. Not that my girl is naughty, but 17 is a time when she is separating herself from me, emotionally and physically, and it's hard as a control freak/ overprotective parent to let my baby bird fly.
Also my work life changed a bit; went from teaching 2 days a week and working at home the rest of the time, back to full time teaching in August. I think it's a good change (I did not have a choice to my districts' cutbacks, it was either full time or be laid off). But I think it was for the best. It's a lot easier to do my art/ sewing on the side, rather than have it be the main source of income. Soooooo, today I'm actually getting paid for being at home! Before if it was a snow day on one of my work days, I did not get paid.
I'm trying to think of a positive word or mantra for 2011, but haven't really nailed one down yet. I'm not really a resolution person, but my goals for this year are:
1. being less controlling, and letting things flow more.
2. get healthier (been working on this for a few months, but want to kick it into high gear a bit)
3. make more time for me in general; art, sewing projects, family - not just what do I need to do for financial stuff.
4. spend more time working on the house and the yard (due to summer school and planning for the show last year, I did not even plant one flower!)
5. draw closer to God, as I'm realizing more and more every year that life is challenging, and I cannot and do not want to go through it without His guidance.
6. finally return to classes and start my graduate program (so a few classes this summer!)
7. continue to be the best mom I can be, and roll with the punches, and change my parenting style as needed. And be loving and calm while doing it.
but for today, hang out inside and putter around the house, do laundry, make some art, clean a little, and be grateful for the snow :)

new season!

2011-01-08T10:19:00.005-06:00

Yay! The beginning of bridal season is upon us! I'm excited because I've been working on some new bolero jackets and collars with lots of ruffles, and some new dresses.
To celebrate:
I'm having a 'beginning of season sale' to kick off the 2011 designs. I'm also going to be participating in an eco-friendly 'green' inspired fashion show, details coming soon. It should be pretty cool considering how much weddings can really eat up resources.
So, check out the new vintage inspired designs in the shop, most made from vintage slips and laces!
I'm also clearing out many of the dresses that I haven't put up for sale after the Omaha Fashion Week finale :)
check it out girls! Some of these would be really cute for prom!

brrrrrrr

2010-12-13T18:53:00.008-06:00

sorry I've been away so long dearies, I've been working away. It's freezing here in the big "O" as usual, so another winter, here we come. I've been so cold in the morning while going out to the jeep (4 wheel drive is really amazing, this is my 2nd winter having it!) Really, how did I ever live without it? Anyway, I'm thinking of making a wrap skirt like the ones I sold last summer to wear over my dress pants so I can be cozy, since my coat is kind of short. I'll have to add a lining though so it's not clingy. I'll let you know how it comes out :) Maybe it will give me a chance to use some of my preeeeeety fabrics!
also, I finally got a chance to use some of this chevron print from paula prass on one of my draft stoppers:

these are really flying out the door now, people are freezing - at least in the midwest. Many orders come from Chicago, Minneapolis, and all of those reeeeeeaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyyy frigid places. hmmmm, how many words can I come up with that mean freezing cold?
to continue the wintry theme, I FINALLY got my white christmas tree!!!!

I've been looking for a long time, and decided to decorate it in a silver-aqua-burlap- maybe a touch of gold here and there, and even got crafty and made a burlap tree skirt with a ruffle last night.

The other tree skirt that I made a few years ago had lots of deep reds and greens, and that just wouldn't do! Plus it looked really tiny under the new tree, because the diameter (or circumference?) is a lot bigger than the old one.
It still needs lots of ornaments, which have yet to be made, but I keep adding bits here and there, like a magpie would to her nest :) K says this tree will probably stay up until June since I seem to love it so much.
and it was a craigslist find!

fall day

2010-11-06T19:33:00.003-05:00

probably the last photoshoot of the season today, a little bittersweet. woke up at 5 am and sewed 2 dresses.
photography by my sweet daughter :)

beautiful day, although a bit windy, but who can ask for more than gorgeous golden sunlight and warm temperatures on a november day in nebraska?

recent fun!

2010-10-17T20:58:00.004-05:00

I can't remember what my friend called this, but something like 'saloon zombie bustle'? So, I was happy to oblige. She said she would add fake blood later :) I didn't make the corset, that she purchased. I just added some tattered lace, and made the bustle. I rarely use red for anything, but that is what she wanted.

mine will be slightly less gory, as I am opting for either Scarlett O'hara or Marie Antionette. The time consuming parts of both of those would be the dress of course, so I may be lazy and be a peasant or something!
also I have a new friend who is an amazing talent, and she is joining the craft mafia with us. Her name is Terri, and she's a designer transplanted from LA. Unbelievable creativity!

she makes clothing also, vintage inspired and reconstructed- hey, no wonder we became fast friends!!

aaaaaaaaand we're done.

2010-09-22T16:46:00.002-05:00

omaha fashion week 2010

omaha fashion week 2010

it's crunch time people!!!

2010-09-15T20:51:00.004-05:00

sorry for the sparse posts as of late ... but it's crunch time.
major dilemma about what I'm dressing myself in for omaha fashion week, no time really to make anything for me, and models are a lot easier to sew for. Less body issues.
I've been gazing at this lovely creation in my dreamland lately:

Butterfly dress by Luly Yang
so awesome.
well, I'm sure in a few days there will be major picture posts after the show and after I catch up on my sleep :)
wish me luck!

multi-tasking

2010-09-05T09:45:00.006-05:00

managed to get this key necklace done in between games at Sasha's triple header softball tournament yesterday:

(I think it needs a few more keys...)
She made a sideways dive and caught a fly ball, and it was pretty awesome! She has several games a week right now, varsity softball in your senior year is no joke people. I'm incredibly proud of her, and no matter what is going on in my life (less than 2 weeks to go until fashion week), it is more important that I attend these games and be supportive. I fully believe that these things make a huge difference in your childs life. So even when schedules are crunched, we continue to be 'superwomen' or 'supermen' and do it all. Priorities, priorities, priorities. She's getting her senior pictures done by a local artist/photographer tomorrow, and it's going to be fun for me to be the stylist on the shoot!
Still have 4 or 5 dresses to finish for the show, including my own!!!

more dyeing

2010-08-29T20:22:00.003-05:00

or is it dying? I think with the 'e' is right. anyway, you just can never go wrong with vintage pink undergarments hanging on a clothesline...

19 days and counting to the biggest fashion show I've ever been a part of!
300 feet of runway, over 6,000 people expected, I hope I get it all done!!

tattered princess dress

2010-08-28T14:47:00.001-05:00

tattered princess dress
Originally uploaded by ♥ellene mcclay♥

another photo shoot

2010-08-23T19:45:00.005-05:00

sorry dear readers... all I ever seem to post anymore are pictures from photo shoots or sneak peeks of omaha fashion week progress. such is the fabulous fast paced life of a fashion designer... le sigh.
I do love how the hair turned out, curled, teased, but still lovely.

I tied vintage ribbon bows at her ankles, and everyone thought they were part of her shoes. The word "adorable" was used a lot. And that's just fine with me :) I looooooooovvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeee adorable. Especially when you say it in a really high pitched voice! But they are adorable little dolls. The eye shadow was my own, and I brought it just in case the make up people didn't have anything bright enough, and I'm glad I did. For the actual show, the eyes will pop even more - aqua, green, purple, and pink eye shadow on all the models, depending on their eye color we will do something contrasting.

but seriously, this model is to die for. Such a sweetheart too, she even gave me a ride home :)

"hawt"

2010-08-18T19:24:00.003-05:00

just a few pics from the hottest photo shoot I have ever been a part of. Hot as in temperature, I think I sweat gallons that day.
The model still managed to look gorgeous despite the heat. I think we all came home, showered, and passed out from exhaustion.
I of course was not the photographer, but these are a few I snapped.

more antiquity

2010-08-14T15:34:00.005-05:00

new work for the september omaha fashion week-

I'm also working on some mother of pearl button accessories... no pics yet though.
This show is going to be such an unusual combination of victorian Marie Antoinette inspired feminine details and childish, whimsical doll stylings. Hopefully viewers will understand a bit of my vision... maybe?

alternative quilting

2010-08-07T15:33:00.004-05:00

this is kind of like 'alternative music' I think...

I've never quilted anything before, but I think that's what this is.
I overlaid this shimmery bubble organza over cotton, and then used silver thread. This is an underbust corset (I call them casual corsets, because I don't really use all the coutil and traditional stuff. Just interfacing and flying by the seat of my pants.
But it's not like my models need a traditional corset, I just like the look :)

I'm liking it!

tones of taupe

2010-07-28T02:39:00.007-05:00

just a little eye candy for tonight :)

inspirations...

2010-07-22T12:32:00.004-05:00

sorry I dropped off the face of the earth there for a minute :) I've been resting, thinking, trying to work, but sometimes the pressure of creating puts me into a funk. Usually I'm never at a loss when creating, but it happens occasionally. I think there have been too many ideas actually, so trying to nail down a specific inspiration... I'm thinking about victorian dolls and the girls who played with them for the omaha fashion week collection~

aren't they sweet? what do you think?

weekend plans

2010-06-26T15:21:00.006-05:00

the flourish of creativity continues... these are some of the items I've been working on this week:

I thought about keeping the slip dress and wearing it to go dancing last night, since it was friday and my favorite dj was spinning the music, but my feet were killing me because we had a field trip to the forest yesterday at school. Now as much as I love the forest, because of all the rain we've had, the bugs were having a hey day sucking all of our blood. And to top it off, I was spraying bug spray on all of the kids, and as I squirted a big gust of wind came by, and it blew right in my eyes.
Luckily it did not blind me, but I had to go find a bathroom inside the nature center to rinse them out. Unable to remove the resulting undereye mascara, the kids kept pointing at me and telling me I had black stuff around my eyes. I only remove that stuff with the proper sponge and cleanser, so I was not about to rub hard and risk making my eye wrinkles worse. Anyone in their 30's understands what I'm talking about.
(Unfortunately I will only be able to say I'm in my 30's for a little bit longer, so I have to insert that into as many sentences as possible.)
Even with the bug spray, I told the kids our activity while riding the bus back to school was to count how many bug bites we all had. Who doesn't love a sticky, sweaty, humid field trip, right? We actually did have fun though.
So tonight is date night, but my feet are still aching, so I think I'll opt for movies on the couch instead of dancing, plus it's like 96 degrees outside, so thank goodness for netflix!

sun and sea

2010-06-22T16:39:00.005-05:00

as much as I'm enjoying teaching summer school, I can't help but gaze over at my beach calendar by my desk now and then, and daydream about being on the beach. Still obsessed with sunny yellow and aqua, I made another embellished tank last night.

funny thing about my obsession with yellow: I bought this cheery tank for myself, and then bought another one exactly like it about a week later without even realizing it. So I figured I might as well redesign the second one!

that lucky husband of mine gets to be the color tester, and watch as I hold up different bits and pieces next to eachother. He is surprisingly good at this, and even when we disagree, at least it helps me make decisions, because then I realize how much I don't agree with his choice!
maybe soon I'll find a beach somewhere, or at the very least a beautiful aqua pool!

neo victorian

2010-06-20T21:05:00.007-05:00

I am always inspired by historical fashion, and I like to modernize it for todays woman. Today I played with one of my all time favorite fabrics ( I know I say that about so many!!!! but seriously, this is in my top 3!!!)

this would look so effortlessly cool paired with jeans or could be a little bohemian chic with a flowy skirt. More of these to come, I have a bit of an obsession with tanks, so this gives me an excuse to buy more - available here!
hope everyone is getting in a little crafting time this weekend, and oh, I'm proud to say I did a ton of food prep and grilled out all of our meat for the week to come, and baked a bunch of potatoes and put them in the freezer for later. I feel so accomplished!!! It's amazing what can get done when there aren't tons of prom dress orders piled up on my work table :) :)
What are your must have simple to wear fashions for the summer?

breezy weather

2010-06-18T20:40:00.008-05:00

aaaahhhh, a sure sign of warm summer breezes at my house... dyed slips hanging on the line.

there's something about clothes hanging on the clothesline that makes me remember the big green yards of the south where I spent a good part of my childhood. Gorgeous quilts sewn by hand with colorful patterns were normal decor. The lady down the street from us had chickens so we could buy fresh eggs from her for a quarter. Moms and grandmas taught daughters how to sew and bake, and how to enjoy working hard. "elbow grease" was a term I heard quite often. I have that pioneer spirit in me for sure, where pies were made from scratch, as were dresses, and family was cherished. DIY was part of everyday life, and I still watch Little House on the Prairie whenever I see a rerun on tv.

No matter how busy we get, and all of our running from here to there, I hope we can all make a little time this summer to relish in the domestic chores that would otherwise seem mundane. True honest work, that is done well, is something we should be proud of. I'm planning to do some actual cooking, which is not an area I'm especially creative in, because I feel like it's important to spend some time and energy on something real.
So let that dryer collect some dust for awhile, and get those aprons out girls!

color splash!

2010-06-12T19:32:00.005-05:00

I know, I know, that name is already taken by the amazing David Bromstad, who you all know I love so much, but that's all I could think of to describe what's on my work table right now:

hmmmm, I see a theme emerging here? :)
lots of new hair accessories, some wedding-worthy, along with a ton of other little beauties that can be used in different ways.
I'm having a great time so far working with color this spring, especially after such a white winter.
We are also planning a graduation trip next summer to Alaska!! I don't travel that often, so we are starting to save now. I have never been there, so I need to research how the weather and temperatures will be during the summer months. If you've ever been there or if you live there, suggestions on places to visit and see would be greatly appreciated. I know there are train trips you can take too, so I'm looking in to that as well.

I'm looking forward to a special trip with my special girl when she finishes high school- ahhhh!

8 days and counting...

2010-06-10T23:03:00.000-05:00

hi all! hope everyones' summer is off to a beautiful beginning :) Just want to remind anyone in the Omaha area about the 'etsy success workshop' that I teach. I've had several requests to have another one, so I found a lovely creative space in Elkhorn, called 'CREATE'. What a cool place!! Hopefully the mafia can even have a meeting or fun artsy/ craftsy get together at some point!
The owners have created such an awesome place for all kinds of crafts - scrapbooking, mixed media, tie dyeing, etc. They have tons of cool, state of the art technology tools that people can use while taking a class or working on a project.
My workshop will be Saturday, June 19, at 10 am, and it will last about 2 1/2 hours. Maybe everyone can go have lunch somewhere afterward with all the new friends you'll meet!

I show everything I'm doing on an LCD projector, and it's very interactive. People can ask questions about their own shops and we can discuss promoting, marketing, branding, you name it!
please contact me through my shop if you're interested in registering. You can also leave a comment and I'll contact you.
Cost is $25 and you will have a ton of fun, and take lots of new ideas for your shop with you !!
Ellene

ch. ch. ch. check it.

2010-06-09T20:27:00.007-05:00

so happy my tattered dress and my most favorite model made it to the front page of the Omaha Fashion Week blog this week!!!
oh yeah!

progress

2010-05-29T20:11:00.004-05:00

feels good to get this one out of my head finally!

I've had this weirdly dyed fabric for at least 2 years, and it was unusual and challenging to work with it. This still needs a lining, but came pretty close to the idea I had for it :)

even though it's beautiful outside, I've got to finish some of these pieces for the presentation for Omaha Fashion Week - let's hope I get enough things made before next week!!

another fashion video

2010-05-28T12:33:00.002-05:00

thanks dan richters again for providing this! This is from the Fashion in Salvation show in January 2010, I'm the 6th designer on this video

FIS2010 part 1 from Dan Richters on Vimeo.

Upcoming Etsy success workshop

2010-05-24T17:55:00.004-05:00

ok guys I finally got a spot in my schedule to teach another Etsy Success Workshop!
It is scheduled for June 19 (Saturday) at 10 am. Should last about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. It will be held at the lovely Create in Elkhorn. This place is so cool! They have a lovely space where people can go and use their awesome tools and do scrapbooking or other kinds of art. I still need to explore everything they have to offer, but I am so excited for a place like this in Omaha! :)
$25 and you'll learn a lot and have some fun!!! I love sharing everything I've learned over the last 3 1/2 years selling my handmade items online. You will leave with lots of inspiration, knowledge, and take some tangible items with you with printed information for you to refer to later. If you have already started a shop and would like to increase your sales, or if you are still at the 'setting up shop' stage, we will go through everything.
Please comment if you'd like me to contact you and get the registration to you!!! This is going to be so fun :)

finally!

2010-05-21T13:57:00.006-05:00

today is the first day in about 4 months that I've had time to work on new things for Omaha Fashion Week. (except for the 7 day marathon over spring break - which didn't give me a lot of 'thinking time')
so what to do on a cloudy Friday at home alone?
make a couple of leather bustiers of course :)

should be fun putting this together :) don't worry, dear readers, I promise this will be more romance and vintage inspired than biker chic, you know me too well!!!

post prom perfection

2010-05-20T12:22:00.004-05:00

aaaahhhhh, now that prom season is over and I finally finished my last custom dress order I can breathe again. One lovely customer, Kortnee, requested a longer length version of the 'first love' dress, in a deep amethyst.
The result was stunning with her skin tone and hair color, if I do say so myself!

I'm sure she danced the night away :)

left or right?

2010-05-17T10:07:00.005-05:00

I saw an article in the latest issue of Real Simple about how to get organized according to which side of the brain you use the most. I wonder a lot whether I'm right brained or left brained, because I have classic traits of both... I love art but I love math too, etc, etc.
So I took the quiz, and I came out split evenly.
Then I got online and took another test, and it was exactly even as well.

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz
The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others.
Left Brain Dominance:	(16)
Right Brain Dominance:	(16)
Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

I was told that my first inclination as a small toddler was to use my left hand, and my grandma thought that was crazy, so she made me use my right hand to eat and write, etc. I wonder if this has anything to do with how I am now?
I tell my students all the time that in order to make more brain connections use their non-dominant hand to do everyday activities like brushing teeth. I'm going to work on it because now I'm completely confused as to what organizing technique works best for me, since I'm both!!

upcoming workshops

2010-04-29T10:26:00.003-05:00

As promised, there will be another 'etsy success' workshop within the next few weeks, just deciding on the location for the event. Several of you have emailed me and either had a friend take the other workshops I've taught, or heard about it on facebook.
It is a really nice overview of the basics of setting up a shop to different strategies you can use to make sales and get your name out there. Feedback on all the workshops I've taught so far has been wonderful! I really started teaching these due to the overwhelming questions and advice sought by so many Omahans, and I never realized how many budding entrepreneurs were living so close to me!
Also I'll be doing some artsy/craftsy workshops as well, and I've really been enjoying teaching adults since most of my teaching for the last 11 years has been kids- (although I have so much fun with them:)
Please leave me comments as to what types of crafts you all would love to see in some of these workshops, and remember I love sewing, but also have taught workshops on watercolor (which I love and don't get a chance to do as often as I'd like to), wire sculpture, collage/ mixed media, and even photography.
I usually use an LCD projector and show lots of examples, since most of you are visual learners as I am, it really helps.
By the way, thanks to all the wonderfully talented ladies at the American Sewing Guild- my speech was very well received and I learned so much from them as well! What an amazing array of talent and skills they possess!!
Please add me on facebook if you'd like to see dates and times for the workshops :)

Weekend plans

2010-04-16T12:10:00.006-05:00

I am honored to be giving a speech tomorrow for the Omaha Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. The group invited me to talk about my interest in sewing and how I turned that into a business. It will be fun to meet so many other sewing enthusiasts!
Then I'm off to the second softball game of the season~ hoping it will be a little warmer than the soccer games have been. We are actually going to try and grill out on Sunday afternoon after another softball game, so it should be a fun-filled weekend.
although I'm sure spending time in the backyard will just make me think about all the upcoming yard work that needs to be done. That kind of sounds cathartic right about now though, after such a cold, snowy winter.
spring is finally here!!!
Still catching up on dress orders though, and everyone's prom date is looming, so I have to do a lot of sewing tonight before I can take a much needed break.

nice weather plans

2010-04-12T09:13:00.010-05:00

things I want to do within the next 2 weeks:
~ visit the zoo with sasha and let her take lots of pictures with her new camera

~ dreamily sketch new designs for summer, without actually doing any work on them until I've had time to rest
~ meet with a bunch of new girls who may be joining the craft mafia :)
~ have lots of tea/coffee dates with my friends, preferrably on someone's patio or deck
~ shopping in the old market

~ work in the yard, it is sooooooo ready for some attention

~ actually go to the gym a few times a week, rather than telling myself I don't have time
~ finish all pending orders and SHIP THEM OFF! (before all above tasks)
~ get a hair cut

~ find some cute summer shoes!

~ sell things from shed and house to clean out space
~ sit through a LOT of soccer and softball games watching my girl! aaaahhhhh, spring is finally here!!!

hmmmm.....

2010-04-10T13:22:00.005-05:00

~ been doing a lot of soul searching lately.... I know, what else is new? What's that? Ellene is analyzing things? I guess growing older makes you do that. I prayed for change recently, and the few times I've done that in the past, boy do I get change. Kev says 'stop doing that, will you?' As long as it's good change he's ok with it though.

Found this advice today over at carnival by the sea , and it made me smile:
If I could offer you one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...
I will dispense this advice now..
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh, nevermind, you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in away you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are NOT as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real toubles in life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind the blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other peoples hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you suceed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't.

Maybe you'll divorce at 40. Maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary....

Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can... don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it... it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance... even if you have nowhere else to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines they will only make you feel UGLY.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they might be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; They're your best link to your past, and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, except for the precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.

Live in Northern California once, but, leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise, Politicians will philander, you too will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you'll have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it's worth.

....But trust me on the sunscreen.

thanks dan richters for the video!!!

2010-04-06T18:26:00.003-05:00

My designs are first on the video:: all white :)

Omaha Fashion Week 2010 Preview from Dan Richters on Vimeo.

more omaha fashion week

2010-04-03T12:03:00.004-05:00

a few more pictures from the runway show...

jasmine:

shelby:

more later :)

omaha fashion week preview - done

2010-04-02T07:46:00.005-05:00

shelby in tattered bustle dress:

jasmine in victorian inspired gauze dress:

more pics to come!
add me on facebook to see all the pics from everyone :)

equation

2010-03-16T10:27:00.006-05:00

...can't sleep at night very well due to flood of design ideas... always a good thing but then I have to drink loads of coffee to be coherent~

inspirations...

victorian + scandinavian + mexican wedding + romance + doily + white + feminine =

ellene mcclay :: spring / summer 2010 "white collection" :: Omaha Fashion Week Spring Preview :: March 31

did you get all that? :)

in the meantime, you can always check out my current collection at bustle!

joys of motherhood

2010-03-15T10:54:00.014-05:00

My daughter is turning 17 today.

ok, stunned moment is passing. I keep having those over the last 24 hours. I knew this was coming, but now that it's here it's hitting me pretty hard. It seems like just yesterday I was 17, and I can remember who my first roommates were, they were like big sisters to me, so protective since I had moved out of my parents house so young.
I am still in touch with most of them.
Then at 23 I became a mother, and of course my life changed completely. I wanted so much to make her life the best I could make it, with the most support and love and protection.
Judging by what a fantastic young lady she has become, I think I did a pretty awesome job! She is an aspiring photographer, motorcross rider, softball / soccer player (varsity this year!), super funny, loves children and pets, loves to draw, and I try to encourage her to become whatever she can dream.
I've been so busy lately that when I got Shona Cole's book in the mail I didn't have time to sit down and really look through it. I knew I really wanted to take my time and thoroughly enjoy it.

Now that I've had time, I really couldn't put it down. As I saw the richness and inspiration on every page, and Shona's beautiful images, my own creative moments with my daughter came to mind. We still do creative things on a daily basis, but I began thinking back over the last 17 years and remembering things I've shown her, and experiences we've had.
One thing I loved about Shona's book was the section on digital photography. Running an online shop for the past 3 years has turned me into an amateur photog. out of necessity, and I've tried to share info. with my daughter about what I've learned. But the way Shona explained why the camera settings are important and how to use them - I wish I would have had such an informative but easy to understand instructions when I was starting out. I loved it and it will become required reading for my daughter :)
The other thing that was interesting was the way she explains and inspires poetry writing. As an art teacher and a homeschooling mom (of one year) I have tried to incorporate poetry into a few lessons, but I am learning soooooo much from this book! I'm so inspired to try new things with my students and my daughter, I can't wait to get started.
After being an art teacher for 11 years, it's so wonderful to get such fresh inspiration!
Shona's children are beautiful, her artwork and poetry is inspiring, she is a great teacher and motivator, and I know it must have been such a labor of love to plan and write this book. I was touched and honored to be included with the other amazing artists/mothers that are spotlighted in the book, and was so surprised at how much I needed this book, even at the place in our journey where we are now.
check out the inside pages at amazon here
I know there are several creative ladies that are participating in a 12 week challenge, and it's headed up by Trudy Callan, info is here
Working through the goal setting and workshop activities would be a wonderful way to kickstart a life long creative habit, and inspire your children to do the same in their lives.
thank you Shona for being so inspiring, as a mother and an artist!
and happy birthday to my little sweetie: you changed my life for the better, and I look forward to (and have to accept!) the next stage of our lives. I am married now, but for 12 years it was just the 2 of us, and you made my life not only livable, but amazing!
love you!

make it work!

2010-03-08T22:44:00.001-06:00

gettin' ready for the Spring Preview of Omaha Fashion Week!
wheeeeeeeeeee!

spring is coming

2010-02-24T18:16:00.008-06:00

I can tell by the amount of bridal requests that the wedding season is pretty much in full swing~
new piece, victorian inspired, customized to your size:

top ten list

2010-02-15T14:35:00.005-06:00

Top Ten Things I hate about Omaha winters:

1. Washing my car every 3 days.
2. 10 zillion potholes.
3. crazy static cling in my hair from always wearing a hat.
4. Buying a gallon of windshield wiper fluid once a week.
5. The hem of my pants are always wet.
6. Not being able to park in my parking spot since October due to 1000 lbs. of frozen snow.
7. Always wearing boots. (and not the cool fashionable variety)
8. Layering.
9. Not being able to roll down the windows and crank the music.
10. shoveling!

fashion show

2010-01-31T16:03:00.007-06:00

sorry for my absence lately dearies... I had a good reason.
some pics from the show last nite :)

thanks so much to jason gerber for sharing these pics, much better than the few I got. It was an amazing experience, and there are so many talented people in Omaha.
more info to come, very tired now. I was sewing up until the last minute.
love to my models... they were so gorgeous and sweet, they made the day a blast.

muses all around me

2010-01-17T08:35:00.005-06:00

the lovely Tasia Belmont...
AJ Brown-photographer
add me on facebook to see the rest from this photoshoot :)
ps. on the programs for the show, my name is spelled correctly, but the font is really weird and it looks like Ellene McClan, so I'm tagging this post with that name! hah!
for the record, it's Ellene McClay people at the printing place!

security

2009-12-22T16:58:00.005-06:00

I guess I wanted to make sure I didn't run out of pins ...

Well, I do have a lot of sewing to do over the holiday break!

some exciting news...

2009-12-17T22:37:00.001-06:00

time to get down to business...

note to self...

2009-12-11T11:24:00.004-06:00

in the future, no matter how cold it is in the house, please refrain from wearing giant fuzzy sweater while gluing tiny houses onto scrabble tiles....
you will avoid fuzzy black fibers sticking to every surface you are working with...

{{ edit }}
also pick a garment without bell sleeves, so as not to repeatedly knock aforementioned tiles off of work table with every arm movement.
aaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!

I'm trying to be a christmas time sweat shop here people!

tis the season

2009-12-05T16:03:00.004-06:00

had a lovely weekend so far....
spent a chilly evening with my bff trying to sell our wares at a new artsy warehouse. Heard some cool music from a lone guitarist, but it was kind of humorous too. If his amp was plugged in at the same time as our space heater we were huddled around, we lost power. Fun Friday nite, huh?
I actually enjoyed myself though :)
Then had a Christmas shopping trip today, but Sasha and I decided not to hit the mall, but rather a really old, cool hippy boutique I used to go to 15 years ago. She loves hemp necklaces, tie dyes, and interesting beads, and she said she actually remembered going there with me when she was little. It's called "Cool Stuff" and she already has a plan to take her friends there. She got a cool room tapestry and promptly hung it up as soon as we got home.

cozy.
I didn't sell too much at the show last night, but at least I have a lot of new inventory since I made a bunch of new things to sell there. I think I'll call this one 'snowflake':

turkey day

2009-11-25T17:03:00.003-06:00

hmmm, planning thanksgiving menu...
I have only made thanksgiving dinner once before, so I don't really have tried and true items that I've made a hundred times before.
** turkey, of course (I used a recipe last time where you stick lemons and oranges inside, and it came out great, so I'll probably do that again
** homemade rolls, I found a recipe with onions in it, in a cookbook called 'guilt free cooking'
** stuffing (or dressing as some call it) - I saw Rachel Ray on 30 min. meals make one with apples and onions, and she put mounds of it into a muffin pan and baked it, so it's already in individual portions and gets crispy, so I think I might try that.
** something with sweet potatoes, probably a dessert. I had 'sweet potato pie' as a kid that I've never been able to find a recipe for, but I keep trying different things.
** green beans, but I don't know if I'll do the regular old green bean casserole. I might blanche them quickly and then saute them with garlic
** Sasha is going to make a dessert. She wanted to make a tiny cake like the one she saw on the "CAKE BOSS" on TLC, (he made it in an easybake oven!), but then she saw a yummy looking picture of sugar cookie type bars with melted chocolate and m&m's on top, so she is making that.
** Potatoes that my sweet friend is making and bringing with her, so I don't have to worry about that
** cranberry something!!! I usually make this raspberry jello mixed with cranberries combination that has whipped cream and cream cheese mixed together on top, with nuts, but no one seems to like it except me, so I'm looking for something different.
I think that about covers it, plus I have to make the house look presentable.
I have had all these ideas lately like I want to empty out all of my cupboards and cabinets and clean them all, and put all my rice and grain type food into jars, and re-do all of my flour and sugar containers, but that will have to wait until after turkey day :)
fall cleaning, I guess?

giveaway winner~

2009-11-15T20:34:00.003-06:00

sorry I'm late with my drawing guys, it's been a crazy weekend! We drew Becky's name out of a cute litte doily basket, (sorry we did it late in the evening and I failed to take a picture!)
Congrats! and thanks for playing everyone. Last time I did a giveaway there were a lot more names in my basket, but maybe everyone is away from the computer lately.
Please contact me Becky and I will get your address. Thanks!

time for a giveaway :)

2009-11-04T17:53:00.005-06:00

ok, dear readers.... I haven't done a giveaway for a while now, and I was thinking now that I was able to get my 'followers' box to show up in sidebar again, I'm a little obsessed with checking to see who my new followers are each day.
soooooooo.................
To be entered into this giveaway, you must:
1. click to 'follow' my blog
2. leave a comment on THIS post, telling me which of the following goodies you would like:

(choose any color available in my shop: pink, red, cream, latte, espresso, gray, black, yellow, aqua, etc. - pretty much any color you can think of, I have it.)
********************OR***********************
a little house ornament to hang from your Christmas tree, or sit on your mantle : (yours will be made at time of drawing, so may differ slightly from the ones in the picture)

oh, the excitement!!!!
Contest will run until Nov. 13 (Friday the 13th!!!)

2009-11-02T18:52:00.004-06:00

my daughter took these photos, and I love the textures!

I'm going to come up with some photography assignments for her since I home school her half time. I think she has an eye for composition~ I know, I know, I'm just the mom :) She did get some gold stars on flickr though!

home for the holidays

2009-10-18T19:02:00.004-05:00

getting geared up for the holidays:)
I love this time of year, although we haven't seen too many pretty leaves yet and it got really cold really fast....
I'm excited to be cooking thanksgiving dinner this year (I've only done it once before, about 3 years ago), and I'm practicing my recipes and we got our oven fixed! That's helpful when cooking things larger than 4 or 5 ounces. Hopefully friends and family will all be able to make it, and I'll be able to get my island finished before then. It's feeling a little neglected at the moment, but it will get some lovin' soon.
I must be in the mood to work on wood lately, because the little holiday ornaments from last year are making a comeback:

last year I made a lot with little vintage children peering out of windows, this year I can't get enough of the tiny bunting banners made from postage stamps!
You can never have enough bunting strewn about~

2009-10-09T19:05:00.003-05:00

mmmmmmmm.....velvet:

just a little wrist jewelry for fall~

I'm a little gaga over the tiny mother of pearl vintage buckles I found.
also, yay! I figured out how to get my followers to show up again on the sidebar! I'm glad to see all of your happy shining faces again :)

clothing = sculpture

2009-09-28T22:33:00.004-05:00

....and I thought I liked ruffles....

"Garden of Delight" by Steven Meisel (2006).
Vogue : http://www.style.com/vogue/feature/112206VFEA/

one persons trash...

2009-09-18T23:35:00.010-05:00

believe it or not, this is going to grow up to be a kitchen island:

and from the side:

and the lovely top:

This dresser that someone discarded (pictures of drawers later) is actual real wood. I have a keen eye that is able to spot real wood on the side of the road that has lots of potential but somehow no one else has been able to see.
This particular specimen ended up being within 1 inch of the size we had planned to build, since we couldn't find anything the size we needed prebuilt.
so.... after chopping it's height down, changing the drawer slides to shelves, re-doing the top, putting nice wood on the back, and stripping, sanding and staining (the BIG "3"), and depending on my work load in the next week or so, there hopefully will be pics of our brand new kitchen island.
I have a lovely credenza that is the sturdiest piece of furniture I've ever owned that was in an alleyway, with the legs falling apart. A thorough cleaning, a light sanding, a nice paint job, new legs and some nice nickel knobs, and it is sleek enough to almost pass for ikea (although would probably weigh much less if I'd bought it there).
(I'll post pics later since now I know you all have a fantastical visual image in your heads of this amazing transformation, and you'll suffer aesthetic withdrawal if I don't show you.) ---found one on flickr, but it's hard to see:

oh, and let's not ever forget the infamous 'zebra chair' as we refer to it now. (All the former trash to treasure pieces were taken with one of those historical devices using FILM of all things, so the original photos are in a beautiful coptic bound notebook with those adorable little photo corners, rather than being in digital format on my hard drive somewhere.) I did find one picture of it on my flicker - you can see the living room is in a different arrangement here:

The zebra chair is my most beloved furniture overhaul to date, and was previously a bedraggled - shredded 'cat nail sharpener', and I found the tag inside the real horsehair tufted cushion that said 'chicago - 1926'. This was a chair that was in my husbands apartment before we got married, and rather than set it on fire or throw it off the side of a cliff like a normal person, I chose to spend a good 30 - 40 hours of my life completely fixing it. One of the arms was broken and hanging off the side, and the upholstery fabric that still had a few threads hanging was so hideously mustard- ugly, I can't imagine how it was ever a beautiful piece of furniture even when new.
And after many hours of sewing, hammering, re-attaching, staining, etc, it was finished. No visitor in our home has ever failed to notice it! {There were a few hysterical tears when beloved cat previously mentioned decided to consumate the back of the completed zebra chair with her nails.} The chair was then unceremoniously wrapped from top to bottom in duct tape and every wool blanket and piece of thick fabric I could find was piled on top until you could no longer tell it was a chair.
But since that kitty is no longer with us (not because of her affinity for zebra print, but due to natural occurences) the chair now holds a place of honor in front of the TV.
lucky for me my honey enjoys going on these scavenger hunts with me to pick up trash I've seen around town :)

oh the cuteness!

2009-08-24T20:59:00.004-05:00

I found this on flickr, and love her blog and so many adorable creations:

btw, sorry I've been a bad blogger lately! I'm back at school and really enjoying it. I've learned that working at home is an awful lot of work, and I like the balance of being home and being at work, flip flopping back and forth. I have some really nice classes this year, and I'm excited about some new projects I'm working out.
I'm really into watercolor lately for some reason, {or at least really into daydreaming about it}, so I'm planning some lessons around that. I think I'm fascinated with the medium (although I'm really not a painter) because it's all about control. (my middle name, some would say).
I go into great detail every year explaining to the kids how the amount of water in the bristles directly affects the intensity of the color and how easily you can control it on the paper. I'm sure they are sitting on the edge of their seats trying to glean every kernel of knowledge from my vast experience as they possibly can.
For some reason it's a lot easier planning a lesson and inspiring others than it is to sit down and actually do it myself. I'm thinking of taping the paper into a grid- like this wonderful artist
so that I'll have some squares to work in, since I'm so used to doing 1 inch scrabble tile collages, apparently I'm not one of those people who likes to work 'large'. Back in college it seemed like in order to be a 'real' painter, you had to make canvases (sp?) about as large as the side of a house to be taken seriously. I am perfectly content making tiny artworks, though, there is something so 'cozy' and 'cute' and makes everyone exclaim..." that is the most ADORABLE thing I've ever seen!"
I think that's my new goal with my etsy shop (that has suffered much lately due my lack of 'gusto' and 'mojo): to make some ADORABLE tiny things that people simply MUST buy, not because they need them, but because they are so darn adorable.
p.s. I'm sorry to all my followers, I've done something to my blog layout and your 'adorable' little profile pics in the sidebar have mysteriously disappeared. But have no fear, I love you all, and you are most appreciated!!

in the pink

2009-07-31T19:05:00.004-05:00

new picture of my studio... rearranged slightly with a new curtain. I don't know why I have the urge to rearrange every couple of months, but I do. must be feeling 'pinky' lately. Hard to tell, but the walls are a light lavender. It's so cool that I can have all this pink and purple in my living room and my man is totally ok with it. I love it when the people you love give you the freedom to be who you want to be, unapologetically.
sewing away, working on orders, kind of wishing I had more time to get to the new ideas in my sketchbook... such is life!

making something from nothing

2009-07-14T07:59:00.003-05:00

Just a quick note to let you all know I'm still alive (I know you were worried :)
busy, busy, busy, teaching art camp.
Today we are making these:

tutorial here at a little hut's lovely blog.
I also might try this modge podge bowl version with the kids.
It's not possible to use earthenware clay with them all week, because there will be no time to fire all of it, so I thought why not make pottery from recycled magazines? my friends often say I have the uncanny ability to make something out of nothing, which definitely helps with the camp budget I'm sure!
Even though I have about 400 magazines in my current collection, I had a hard time deciding which ones I could part with. I love them so much! I know as we are working on the bowls today I'll probably find several pages that I desperately need to save because I can't bear to part with the information.

wide open spaces

2009-06-28T09:30:00.007-05:00

I spent all afternoon yesterday dying slips. I'm sure my neighbors are wondering why I have so many slips, and several of them in repeat colors. I love being an alchemist! It's so fun seeing how the colors will turn out, and mixing and stirring.
I wish I had a giant yard, with no houses nearby, and a huge old-fashioned clothesline. I'd love to look out of my kitchen window and see the slips sprawled out across the green, with the big blue sky behind. And of course a gentle breeze to make them flow even prettier.
And then I could walk down to the creek at the end of my property, and collect acorns and leaves on the way back to the house.
Someday...

summer strolls

2009-06-26T20:54:00.005-05:00

I'm taking the time this summer to stroll through Omaha's lovely 'old market', feelin' light and lovely in my new slip skirts:

I'm going to keep wearing them in the fall, over jeans, but for now I'm trying to enjoy the muggy summer air. Someday I'll live in a place with weather that is awesome more than 2 days out of the year....
At least these lovely shops are about 1 minute from my house:

enjoy the rest of this photographer's photostream and your summer strolling!

he's quite perceptive, you know

2009-06-09T19:11:00.005-05:00

there's something so liberating about not wearing make up for days at a time, and piling my wild hair up on top of my head to get it out of my eyes, and wearing pajama pants and big cozy sweatshirts that may or may not have stains on them. Aaaahhhh, summer. Actually since I started working (crafting, playing, etc. ) from home 3 days a week during the school year, my darling husband probably sees me like this more than I care to think about.
Although the other day he looked at me straight in the face, and said "you know, I was just thinking the other day how you are so beautiful lately". I was a bit shocked, to say the least, but he's not one to add fluff or make meaningless statements, so I'm going to believe that the 'no make up, wild birds' nest up-do' is actually a good look for me :)
I used to never ever in a million years leave the house without make up, for fear that I would for sure see people from my past and they would wonder what the heck happened to her?, but I think as we get older, we learn to enjoy ourselves more, and care less about what others think. Although I would be absolutely mortified to run into anyone I know looking like this.
I'm trying to force myself to take a day off for lounging and reading, but so far I haven't managed to do it. I guess that's what happens when you love what you do!
I've got a few fun, patchy ruffly skirts that I cut out ages ago, and am now finally having the gusto to piece them together. I wonder how many of my readers would get the following question right:
I spend __________ hours per week deciding on whether zippers are the way to go, or debating on if substituting elastic is a more comfortable and easy choice. (And defending the decision back and forth in my head)
A. 2 hours
B. 4 hours
C. 6 hours
I really don't know how many hours, but it's a lot. Plus, elastic is soooooo much better if you've indulged in a few too many everything bagels lately~
The skirts have really cute vintage-y ruffles though, and another funny thing my husband asked yesterday, (and quite perceptive as well), is "Are you in a ruffle-y period, like you know how Picasso had his blue period and his rose period?"
I was a bit stunned! that's what I get for marrying such a smarty pants. Hopefully pics of the new skirts tomorrow, and I'm trying to post a few tutorials for you all too.

stormy weather

2009-06-08T00:48:00.006-05:00

I love the rain, and it's been raining a lot lately. It's great for sleeping, even when the thunder gets really loud. I'm enjoying a few weeks off from work before I start teaching summer school, and even though I don't really take days off from sewing, it feels nice to stay up and sleep in late. I know it's good for the farmers :)

lovely storm photo found here
Although there is a weird smell in my new (used) Jeep, so I have to figure out if there's a leak or something. ??? It's so nice to drive something that you don't fear is going to break down at any given moment - my poor saturn had a few miles shy of 200,000, so it's ready for a rest.
I've had a ton of deadlines lately, for various things, but it feels good to cross things off of my list. Upcoming goodies in Somerset Studio - Belle Armoire to be exact, although I don't know what issue yet. Those ladies over there are the sweetest people imaginable to work with! So kind and thoughtful, and willing to help... I just can't say enough good things about them, really.
work in progress:

I'm still creatively pulled in soooooo many different directions, and I'm still learning to accept that it's just 'my way' I guess. I love to do so many different things.
There are also many other things I'd like to know how to do, but I guess someday during retirement I'll work on those~ crocheting (is that a word?) lace, mastering photoshop and fancy cameras, making my own website, fixing cars, playing the piano.... on and on. There's so many things to explore in life!
But I can't stop thinking about that one line of advice in that post about photography awhile back - "You can't specialize in everything".
That phrase has run through my head so many times in the last month, because I am so guilty of trying to do that! I think focus is very important. They don't call someone a 'master carpenter' or a 'master teacher' , etc., for nothing.
Note to self: Learn to master one thing, and do it well. One can hope I guess.

photoshop trials...

2009-05-29T21:12:00.005-05:00

sometimes I love photoshop, and sometimes I don't. grrrrr....

summer love

2009-05-24T09:38:00.008-05:00

from the summer love collection....

the 'frida dress'

inspired by the amazing frida kahlo

I'm so in love with Danita's adorable version:

more colorful variations of this to come~

hope

2009-05-18T14:26:00.005-05:00

today I feel a surge of hopefulness, that soon I will be doing what I love every day (not just part time on a do-everything-myself basis), and that there will be a purpose for what I'm doing. I love doing every aspect of the design/ production process, but it's so hard to be practical that way, because I can't compete with the prices offered by clothing manufacturers. My lovely customers do know what goes into a handmade garment, and they appreciate it.
It's strange that at this point in my life I'm still trying to find that path, but I know there must be reasons why things have taken longer for me than others.
I don't know exactly what form it will come in, but it will happen.
some lovely little clothing tags printed onto one of my favorite summery vintage-inspired fabrics:

wee garden

2009-05-18T12:10:00.006-05:00

I love this idea!

I've been racking my brain trying to find a place for some plants, and I really want to try this!
check out the story here.
If it's too late for this year, I may try it next spring!

color

2009-05-12T12:21:00.006-05:00

I'm always thinking about color, and I'm doing some summer dresses and working out some dye patterns for them. My friends and I use to tie dye a ton of stuff in college - yes, I admit, I have a serious 'boho hippie' streak in me. My hair was always super long, especially back then. I remember hanging out in memorial park at age 18, and someone was putting a hair wrap in for me, using bright embroidery floss colors. It took 4 months to get it out!
I also made teeny tiny newborn sized t-shirts for S when she was a baby, and put hairwraps in her hair quite often too. Of course friendship bracelets. My dear friend Lori sat patiently teaching me all that she had learned as a camp counselor. I don't know why I didn't learn as a kid, but it's such a relaxing way to spend an afternoon.
We made so many- some were even collars for our cats. This shop has some amazing ones:

anyway, aqua will be a prominent trend for sure in the upcoming summer line, right now I'm just trying to find the time to sit and work on it. Later this week hopefully, major progress will be made.

**********COLOR************
from an article written by Patrick McMurray...

On the subject of psychology: Colour affects your bottom line in branding, packaging, web design, interiors, product design and fashion.

Understanding your personal palette and how to surround yourself with your best colours, in your clothes and your home, will make you feel good about yourself and send your confidence soaring. Looking great is an inevitable by-product.

Black is the colour of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. Villains.

The most emotionally intense colour, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the colour of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme colour, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations.

Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention. The most romantic colour, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.

And finally Blue; the colour of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colours. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.

I'm yearning for backyard barbeques and days lounging on the patio, for a chance to wear some of these new dresses! pics coming soon!

pretty spring

2009-04-23T11:57:00.003-05:00

my bustle shop was on the front page the other day, which doesn't happen as often as my other shop, just because I don't have enough items in there. It usually sits at around 20 items, whereas deciduoussoul is usually around 100.
It's just a baby still, but it's going to get a lot of love this summer.
I've finally gotten my serger back from the repair shop (who kept my manual and an actual piece of my machine! After 4 months of being in the shop and several phone calls from me reminding them they still had it, I'm surprised I even got part of it back)
The missing piece does not affect the functioning of the machine, though, so I've already made 2 skirts in 2 days with it.
Oh how I've missed the speedy whirring of that machine!
So, lots of new kids dresses and ruffle pants coming, maybe I shouldn't say 'lots', because I don't know how much time I'll have.
I haven't seen my little model since last summer - she's probably grown 3 inches at least!
More bridal slip dresses are in the works as well.
It's finally nice weather here, so I'm off to take a walk on my lunch break and enjoy the sun and the exercise. I've sat through so many freezing soccer games in the last month I thought it would never get warm again~ ta ta!

my dress form has all the fun!!!

2009-04-10T18:19:00.009-05:00

Madame coco, which is what my curvy metal dress form was named, gets to wear the prettiest little lovelies:) She now has a new sister, who we'll have to have a contest for soon to give her a name befitting of her beauty, and she is pink!

Madame Coco won't be jealous though, because she is beautiful in her own sculptural way.
Finished another vintage slip skirt today, and the studio is trashed. Every time I get involved in a project I love, there ends up being snippets and piles of tons of things strewn about. No pics of the studio for you, but some of the skirt.

there have been some lovely spring brides lately!
ta ta

vintage goodness

2009-03-30T19:24:00.004-05:00

My next door neighbor for the last 8 years is approximately 100 years old, give or take a year~ She recently moved in with her son, and her grandson moved in with his family. So they were purging the house of some of her old vintage linens...
She had given me some in the past, and I spied a clear garbage bag full of them sitting outside by the garage only a few days before our garbage day - I immediately flew into action. I put a purple sticky note on their door so that when they got home they would see it for sure. It was raining a bit, and I took a nap. I actually had a nightmare that when I got up the bag was gone!
I know, so silly. But fabric is so special, especially soft old cotton with pretty flowers on it!
So when I got up for real, it was still there... whew.
After all of that, they did give me the bag, and I found a few cute things to keep, but most of it was... not so cute. Oh well. The things that I didn't want to use or sew with, I still felt bad about ditching the rest. So I thought I would use the old sheets that I didn't want to put on the bed as pattern pieces. Whenever I draft patterns, I use muslin rather than tissue, but at times I have used other fabric that I don't want to make things out of. So I thought, why not use the sheets?
perfect.

now the sheets will have a new life, and I will think of my old friend every time I use them!

knowledge is power

2009-03-21T22:51:00.004-05:00

photoshop power that is.... I love learning how to do anything on this powerful tool, and I have expanded my very limited knowledge just a little more tonight. My daughter showed me how to put a lot of pictures onto one document - don't know if this has a special term or not... Anyway, I've been adding a 4th or 5th picture to my clothing listings for a long time, to show customers what other prints and colors they can get things made in, but I wanted to show more.
I already knew how to add text, so it was pretty easy to do. I may need to tweak it a bit more, because I like how it looks like a beautiful quilt, but the two dark prints in the upper left corner seem unbalanced with the rest of it. It's kind of like a mosaic on flickr; it shows you what colors you really like by having so many repeated in that palette. Apparently I love greens and pinks (no surprise there). Grass green has been fascinating me as of late- I got the cutest terry cloth summer dress in this color and I can't wait to wear it. My plan is to wear pretty things this summer whether I weigh what I want to or not. so there!
So, if you want to make one of these pretty quilt grids of your own, and you have some sort of program that will let you do it, here's my simple (hopefully) explanation:
1} save pictures of fabrics you like~
2} in photoshop, FILE -> NEW -> choose the pixel size you want - I chose 1000 x 1000 so it wouldn't be too big, press OK --this is your NEW, UNTITLED DOCUMENT
3} in photoshop, FILE -> OPEN -> choose the one you want to start with and select it
4} you'll need to change the image size of your photo most likely, I changed mine to 200 x 200 so that I could fit five pics across each row, and five pics top to bottom (( if you wanted to do bigger pictures, just make the pixel size fit into the 1000 equally, like 250 x 250 if you want to end up with 20 photos total))
5} select the rectangle marquee tool ( top left, dotted lines square shape), then use it to drag across the photo you just resized from the top left corner to the bottom right.
6} under EDIT, click COPY
7} I then click on the MOVE tool (right next to the dotted line square you just used) and put the cursor on the new untitled document you created at the beginning..... then click EDIT - PASTE and your little image should now be on the blank document. You can move it around where you want it.
8} FILE, OPEN - choose next picture, repeat above process. Continue until all pictures are on blank document.
9} Use text tool to add alphabet letters on each picture
10} SAVE AS.... name your file - I've noticed it won't upload to etsy unless I save it as a jpeg, although I know I've uploaded png's in the past. It kept saying the file size was too big until I saved it again as a jpeg.
I don't argue with it or rip my hair out wondering why, I just keep clicking stuff until it does what I want. If all else fails, I call my teenager and she fixes it :)
But seriously, this was really easy! Maybe you all already knew this, but I thought maybe it would help some technologically challenged soul like me.
ta ta!

good advice...

2009-03-12T10:05:00.003-05:00

I found this on melanie mauer's blog (a lovely photographer), and it credits the original author at the bottom. It's advice about aspiring to become a photographer or run a photography business, but I really love how it applies to other creative endeavors:
- Style is a voice, not a prop or an action. If you can buy it, borrow it, download it, or steal it, it is not a style. Don’t look outward for your style; look inward.

- Know your stuff. Luck is a nice thing, but a terrifying thing to rely on. It’s like money; you only have it when you don’t need it.

- Never apologize for your own sense of beauty. Nobody can tell you what you should love. Do what you do brazenly and unapologetically. You cannot build your sense of aesthetics on a concensus.

- Say no. Say it often. It may be difficult, but you owe it to yourself and your clients. Turn down jobs that don’t fit you, say no to overbooking yourself. You are no good to anyone when you’re stressed and anxious.

- Learn to say “I’m a photographer” out loud with a straight face. If you can’t say it and believe it, you can’t expect anyone else to, either.

- You cannot specialize in everything.

- You don’t have to go into business just because people tell you you should! And you don’t have to be full time and making an executive income to be successful. If you decide you want to be in business, set your limits before you begin.

- Know your style before you hang out your shingle. If you don’t, your clients will dictate your style to you. That makes you nothing more than a picture taker. Changing your style later will force you to start all over again, and that’s tough.

- Accept critique, but don’t apply it blindly. Just because someone said it does not make it so. Critiques are opinions, nothing more. Consider the advice, consider the perspective of the advice giver, consider your style and what you want to convey in your work. Implement only what makes sense to implement. That doesn’t not make you ungrateful, it makes you independent.

- Leave room for yourself to grow and evolve. It may seem like a good idea to call your business “Precious Chubby Tootsies”….but what happens when you decide you love to photograph seniors? Or boudoir?

- Remember that if your work looks like everyone else’s, there’s no reason for a client to book you instead of someone else. Unless you’re cheaper. And nobody wants to be known as “the cheaper photographer”.

- Gimmicks and merchandise will come and go, but honest photography is never outdated.

- It’s easier to focus on buying that next piece of equipment than it is to accept that you should be able to create great work with what you’ve got. Buying stuff is a convenient and expensive distraction. You need a decent camera, a decent lens, and a light meter. Until you can use those tools consistently and masterfully, don’t spend another dime. Spend money on equipment ONLY when you’ve outgrown your current equipment and you’re being limited by it. There are no magic bullets.

- Learn that people photography is about people, not about photography. Great portraits are a side effect of a strong human connection.

- Never forget why you started taking pictures in the first place. Excellent technique is a great tool, but a terrible end product. The best thing your technique can do is not call attention to itself. Never let your technique upstage your subject.

- Never compare your journey with someone else’s. It’s a marathon with no finish line. Someone else may start out faster than you, may seem to progress more quickly than you, but every runner has his own pace. Your journey is your journey, not a competition. You will never “arrive”. No one ever does.

- Embrace frustration. It pushes you to learn and grow, broadens your horizons and lights a fire under you when your work has gone cold. Nothing is more dangerous to an artist than complacence.

- Cheryl Jacobs

via Beyond Images

***what wonderful words of wisdom. I've been working hard on my photography skills for the last couple of years, and they are about to be seriously tested in some upcoming photo shoots (if you can call them that) for some of my new casual wedding dresses. My husband listens to my 'unsureness' ?? ( he used to have a darkroom in his old house), and just says, "keep taking more pictures", so I guess like anything else, I must practice.

as soon as I have time, my goal is to play around in photoshop by burning the edges of some images, and adding digi frames. I guess it won't change the actual image itself, but at least it will look prettier!

spring awaits...

2009-02-22T16:14:00.008-06:00

aaaahhhh, these sun-filled days of 50 degrees tease us into thinking spring has arrived, but I know the cold hard truth that winter has not finished it's nasty reign of terror... Bring it on, midwest, because I've got my arsenal of wool mittens, warm hand-knitted scarves and leather boots waiting in the wings.
Anyway, spring has made it's arrival in my studio! Lovely chartreuse green, vintage baby blue, hot fuchsia pinks... mmm I love silk. I actually love heirloom cotton too, but it's twice the work, because I have to line it with voile or some other sheer dreamy fabric so that it doesn't become lingerie.

I'm just a fabric addict, always have been.
I've had some wedding sashes on the back burner for quite awhile, and some of my brides come up with the coolest color combinations :) I've had a few weeks of rest, after not taking any days off for a long time, and it's nice to actually have a weekend here or there where I don't work. Novel concept, I know. Here's a peek at a few of the satin ribbon sashes I've been making. The new ones are so vintagey special and colorful, with lots of lace, ruffles, and the most beautiful colors.... images of those are coming soon. Some of these sashes available here-

happy spring everyone!

loose ends

2009-02-11T13:29:00.011-06:00

I'm spending this afternoon tying up loose ends~ I had to ruminate about them all for a couple of weeks and gear up for it, but I'm enjoying it none the less.
After painting the walls icy lavendar over Christmas break, I moved my cutting table, desk, ironing board and various craft cabinets about 120 times before deciding on a set up I could live with. I'm still contemplating rearranging it, but it takes too much time. So today I finally cleared out some of the piles that inevitably happen when moving the studio. I basically felt like I was sitting in the middle of a giant pile of junk before, so it was pretty overwhelming.
Then I started working on some hang tags for some of my boutique clothing:

pretty fun and easy to do actually~
I printed out my new logo, 6 to a page so they are about 2 x 3 (on white cardstock), then printed out fiber content, sizing info, washing instructions, etc. on a separate piece of cardstock, then used some lovely fabric scraps cut just a bit larger than the logo rectangle.
I left extra fabric at the top, so I can hammer some tiny eyelets in for hanging. I love sewing paper, and if there is fabric involved it's even more fun. I used vibrant aqua thread in a zig zag stitch. I forgot to put the price, so I printed those out separately and stitched below the size on the back.

I sandwiched the fabric in between, made sure the front and back papers were matched up on the sides, and stitched all the way around. simple, pretty, useful. Maybe this is like the fun cardmakers have when putting pretty papers together, etc.
I love the raw edges and tattered look. I'll put in the eyelets and add some vintage ribbon, and safety pin them to the garments. Hopefully I'll get lots of oooh's and ahhhh's at the boutique.
I also found a bag of feathers and fun embellishments that have been lost for a few months (another perk of cleaning :)
so I made a little aqua pair of feather earrings~ available in my shop

now back to my tags!

hibernating

2009-01-30T10:02:00.016-06:00

sorry for my absence dear readers, I've been 'hibernating'. Oh how I wish. I have the Midwest - freezing temperature - dirty grimy car - can't make it up the hill to my house because of the ice - keep losing gloves so all I have left is mismatched pairs - can't leave the house with wet hair in the morning so I have to get up earlier because it takes an hour to dry this bird's nest - miss my flip flops and tired of wearing boots everyday - my little doggie has forgotten what grass looks like - I need more color in my life than WHITE!!!!!!!!! - winter doldrums.
Well, it's almost February, which means it's almost March, so I think I'll survive. I'm planning a moving to a more mild climate within the next couple of years. It's just not worth it to live somewhere this miserable. Life is too short!!!
I've been working on other things since etsy has been in the crapper lately. I cannot read anymore threads about the batch relistings anymore. Views and sales are terrible, so I'm working on bigger and better things.... just a little tease there ;)
so, for my spring collection, I've been working on some lovely neck bling~

and the feminine, vintage inspired spring collection:

these probably will just be sold in boutiques, I don't know if I'll put them in my etsy shop or not....

as promised...

2009-01-06T21:13:00.005-06:00

I found some time today to rewatch "Duchess" with Kiera Knightley before I returned it to the video place. Kiera Knightley's costumes and adornments were such beautiful eye candy, and as promised, here is one of the neck corsages I made that were inspired by all the lovliness:

more silky colors coming...

trinkets

2008-12-28T18:12:00.006-06:00

~found some adorable vintage trinkets~ they make me wonder how their previous lives were spent. Were they in a fancy home? Did they share a room with 2 sisters? Were they tucked away in a velvet jewelry box?
I don't know, but they sure are beautiful:

I put a pretty picture of Marie Antoinette in this one.

I loved that movie so much, I was just thinking of re-watching it this weekend. I thought it would be cute to put a picture of a pug on the other side, since she loved pugs so much. I just got "duchess" with Kiera Knightly, and can't wait to sit down and drool over the costumes and adornments.
more "tresors" to come!

when I think...

2008-12-23T09:20:00.003-06:00

of the work that I do, this passage often comes to mind. I like how it talks about seeking wool and flax, and making the linen garments. I have always known this proverb to be a model for what I would like to be. She is has strength and fortitude, but is also loving and kind toward her family and the poor. She is a smart businesswoman and an entrepreneur.

Proverbs 31:10-31
Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.
She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.
She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.
Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many daughters have done will, But you excel them all."
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

It just makes me feel strengthened to meditate on that every once in awhile. I remember reading that before I was married, and even though I couldn't relate to the part about the husband, it still meant a lot to me as a woman, and as a mother. I waitressed, mowed lawns, made art, did filing jobs at the college I attended - whatever I had to do to make it work. There is something so honorable about working with your hands and providing for your family.

holiday break

2008-12-20T18:55:00.004-06:00

Yay, holiday break from work...onto crafty lovliness for 2 weeks straight. I was working on some wintry skirts today, and had the perfect piece of fleece-like houndstooth leftover. I looked at the size of the leftover rectangle, and thought it would be perfect for a ruffly scarflette:

I am loving these soft and cozy fabrics, and have several more capelets in the works too. So many projects....so little time.
I've also been spending a lot of time thinking about working out, but for some reason thinking about it doesn't seem to firm up any body parts. Last year at this time I was embarking upon the Biggest Loser competition at work, and I always seem to get motivated at this time of year. I quit the gym I belonged to because it wasn't convenient, but I am signing up for yoga and salsa classes in January. Fun, relaxing, and a workout. Should be fun and Lord knows I need to get away from my work table sometimes. Happy holiday break everyone!

doh!

2008-12-14T15:35:00.004-06:00

When I looked at this treasury this morning, I knew it would hit the front page, but did I go in and change my quantity since I have more of these flourishes? no. DOH! I got up from my leisurely Sunday afternoon nap, and looked at the FP, and I'm thinking how familiar it looks, but my item is not there. From the comments it looks like it was there for about 5 minutes before it sold. oh well, I hope it was pretty for a minute or two.

I've really been in a white and blue mood lately. I normally tend toward tea stained lace, but I've got all this white lace and was looking through my many tiny drawers, and happened upon these flourishes I've been wanting to use for a long time. It was the perfect storm when I found the blue paper to photograph it on.

something old, something blue

2008-11-20T10:13:00.002-06:00

mmmmm.... I love old things and I love aqua things. I've been pairing these small vintage skeleton keys with hand linked beads for awhile now, and I just got a bunch of new lovely beads to try this with. I think I'm going to do a you-tube video showing how to do this type of simple linking, and I want to do one with the more complicated wire wrapping also. When I was trying to learn how to do this a long time ago, I had a hard time finding resources, so I'm really excited about doing you tube tutorials. They are addictive to watch and I'm hoping addictive to make!

tis the season

2008-11-12T16:51:00.006-06:00

I never get tired of pictures of vintage children:

...or sparkly rhinestones for that matter :)
here's another ornament to get you into the christmas spirit:

get yours here today!

leap!

2008-11-05T08:19:00.013-06:00

I've been wanting to try shirring for a long time, and I don't really know what took me so long. It is so easy! I read somewhere a long time ago how to do it, and just had never tried it. I'll take some pics of the steps and do a tutorial soon, in case you've never tried it. I am always thinking of ways to make clothing that will fit many different bodies (oh, the joys of online selling), so anything with elastic that's adjustable helps me to reach that goal.
This dress style will fit about size 8 up to a size 12. Now I just need to go through and draft patterns for a small (4-6) and a large (14-16). Usually I'm lazy and wait until someone orders a different size before I go to the trouble of making other sizes. I used to be a 12, and now am about a 10, thanks to all my sickness lately.
I've had this white seersucker type fabric for about a year, and finally found the perfect project for it. It has little silver metallic threads that give it a really special quality:

leonard nimoy, paul stanley, tim burton, and frida kahlo

2008-11-02T08:11:00.011-06:00

I spent most of the week making halloween costumes for other people. My hubby was spock, my daughter and her friend need handpainted tshirts with the KISS logo on them, and another of her friends needed a Betty Rubble flintstone blue dress. (sorry no picture)
So, I didn't have any ideas for myself. I haven't dressed up too often over the last few years, but my husbands band was playing on halloween night, so I figured I had an excuse.
So at the last minute after finishing everyones makeup and hair, I thought about Sally from Nightmare before Christmas. I've wanted to do this costume for several years, but never got around to it. I love the idea of 'stitching' yourself together. So with about an hour or so left before we had to leave, I whipped up a patchwork dress, checked the internet for images of Sally, watched a couple of you tube videos of someone applying Sally rag doll makeup, and proceeded to get ready.
This is why I would love to be on project runway someday, because I like the pressure of sewing/designing really fast.
Start to finish here are my times:
Betty Rubble dress: 30 minutes
2 KISS stencils: 1 hour
Handsewn patches over a dress I own: 1 hour (I didn't get a full length shot, but I'll take some on madame coco and post later)
Spock costume, wig, ears and makeup: 2 hours
The spock costume was the most time consuming, and I had to actually BUY things. Gold rick rack, a girls pixie wig that I had to cut to look like what it was supposed to, and my hubby already owned a blue shirt.
(Prepare yourself, it's kind of scary looking) {Drummer Conrad from Cordial Spew on the left}

He was so excited to live out his life-long dream of having a star trek costume. He made the tri-corder thingy and the phaser gun himself.
Also, a most awesome idea that I may have to 'borrow' someday, Conrad's girlfriend went as Frida Kahlo! Totally brilliant. I forgot to take my camera to the show, but she was lovely. Hey, I'm an art teacher, what can I say?

green

2008-10-28T16:22:00.011-05:00

there's something about green. It goes with everything, seriously. I once had a pair of dark green flats, with a slightly pointy toe, that went with everything I owned. It sounds weird, but it's true.
This polka dot fabric is one of my favorites, and of course, very hard to find. I have a secret supplier, but it took a lot of research and digging.
Still deciding what crafty direction I want to go in... I always love making clothes, but that's hard to do online, since everyone's body is different. I would like to do something on a small scale, like toys, or needlebooks, housewares. Something that has variations, though. I don't like to do the exact same thing over and over again.
Also, my friend Kelly taught me how to knit last year, and I know the very basics, but I've been looking for a knitting group I could join to sort of hone my skills. Kelly is a knitter extraordinaire, but with a 3 year old in tow, it's hard for her to be a knitting teacher also! I found this really comprehensive list on another local blog, so I'm going to check some of them out:
culled from various sources...
this is my list of Omaha area knitting groups located in public areas.

Mondays:
The Blair Stitch Project
Washington County Extension Office
1718 Washington Street
Blair, Nebraska
Beginner knitters and crocheters start at 5:30-7:00
Advanced and beyond meet from 7:00-8:30

Tuesdays:
Sit n Knit
String of Purls
Countryside Village
8721 Shamrock Road
Omaha, Nebraska
10am-12noon

Tuesdays:
Hooks & Needles
Mangelsen's
Westgate Plaza
3457 South 84th St
Omaha, Nebraska 68124
6:30pm-8:30pm

SECOND Tuesdays:
Knit Night
Borders Bookstore Cafe
Shadow Lakes Towne Center
7775 Olson Drive
Papillion, NE 68046
7pm-9pm SECOND Tuesday every month

FOURTH Tuesdays:
Plattsmouth Purls
Plattsmouth Public Library
401 Avenue A
Plattsmouth, NE, 68048
6pm-8pm FOURTH Tuesday every month
Kids welcome

Wednesdays:
Whole Foods & Fibers
Whole Foods Cafe
10020 Regency Circle
Omaha, NE
6-8 pm

Thursdays:
Sit n Knit
String of Purls
Countryside Village
8721 Shamrock Road
Omaha, Nebraska
3pm-8pm

Saturdays:
NE Knit & Crochet Guild
W Dale Clark Library
215 South 15 Street
Omaha NE
10:00am - 2:00pm

thanks jeepchick!
Hopefully I can attend some of these, because I really want to be better at knitting (I want to learn to knit in the round)

a new season

2008-10-22T14:43:00.011-05:00

"free"
Lately I've been toying with the idea of totally revamping my life. Being sick for almost 6 weeks kind of forced me to realize that I don't have to work and create constantly. Things will be taken care of and the bills will get paid, even if I'm not a one-woman slave shop. Weird, because I really didn't know I needed a break until I took one.
I really appreciate feeling good right now, because for so long some body part was hurting. It was strange how every day or so there was a new symptom, and just as the old ones got better, the new ones perplexed me.
So, I am now taking some contemplative time to decide what it is I want to do. Make stuff, of course. But what?
I want people to look at the things I've made, and have that sense that a lot of time and thought and creativity went into this. I want them to be swept away by the adorable-ness of it all. I want to be able to have a voice that runs through everything that I do, and not list and relist stuff and make and remake stuff just to make money.
There has to be a better way. I want to actually enjoy what I make, and usually that doesn't happen if I make more than 2 or 3. Sometimes only one.
So I now commit to myself to try and find a new path, where I reach back into my childhood imagination and believe that anything is possible, and remember all the small but very important things that I loved.
Small things, scraps, buttons, thread, old things, aqua things, ribbon, patterns, dolls, fabric, paper, photography. I will add to this list of things I'm intrigued by to get my mind rolling a little more.
Do yourself a favor today. Slow down, take a breath. Make a list of things that make you happy. Sometimes it's a little scary when we don't even know or remember these things.
Sometimes we just need to turn over a new leaf, and be excited about a new direction.
Who knows, maybe I'll start a whole new line of something, or open a new shop. ??? Ok, two shops is enough for now, but I do need to get more bloomers finished in different colors, and get them photographed! I think I've been procrastinating because I know I'll have to be my own model, which is a hassle and a little unnerving sometimes. It's so much easier when I can throw something on Madame Coco (mannequin), like skirts and dresses~ Of course there's no better model than little sweet Bailey:

these bloomers are from the same fabric line that the ABC dress is from, Holly Holderman. I think these are probably some of my all time favorite prints! Too bad they discontinue fabric lines after awhile :(

now back to the sewing machine!

too cute!!

2008-10-14T21:29:00.002-05:00

Super fun and exciting Omaha mixed media workshop plans!

2008-10-06T20:39:00.003-05:00

Can you feel the excitement?!
so we are doing a 'run through' of the mixed media crafty project with the etsy street team girls, and I'm still teetering at the edge of doing the workshop in November/December, or waiting until after Christmas... Who knows, maybe it will be hugely successful and thousands of people will sign up, and connections will be made, and it will all be worth it!
here's my sample house, but now I'm thinking of a zillion different styles this could be done in.

I think my next one will be dark, a little spooky, with vintage images of lovely ladies, with vintage lacy goodness, and lots of pearly buttons...
One of the girls had a great idea to make it like a mini- gingerbread house, except the cool thing would be that it's a permanent decoration you can get out every year. We would use beads and things rather than real candy of course. I love this idea!
If you are a crafty girl in Omaha, please leave a comment if you'd like more information :)

stripey 'gronk'

2008-09-19T18:37:00.006-05:00

I made this little stripey friend today:

I thought a little customer of mine would like it, since the fabric matched the dress I made her. (She's got ABC fabric for ears:)

My hubby said it looked like a gronk, which may or may not be the name of some creatures he saw on sesame street years ago. I was surprised he didn't have a Star Trek reference for it. (He's a little obsessed and watches old episodes all the time). It's filled with rice like a bean bag, and was super easy to make. I may do a tutorial for anyone if you'd like to make one for your little ones. It would be fun to add hair, and arms, or hairy arms...
Also, some of you may remember me wishing a happy birthday this summer to my friend whom I didn't know how to reach. Well, she's getting married and she got a hold of me! Yay! Since I've been doing such 'wedding-y' type corsages and ring pillows lately, I thought I'd send her a little surprise in case she needs a little pretty to wear.
ciao girls!

be good...

2008-09-17T12:12:00.002-05:00

~to yourself! I bought myself some lovely roses the other day, and I rarely do things like that. I am getting an enormous amount of enjoyment out of them.
I think I'm finally at a place in my life where I am enjoying the moments.

so do something good for yourself this week. Have a quiet cup of tea, go for a nature walk, wander through a dept. store by yourself and don't worry about what time it is or who you have to pick up, or the laundry that needs to be done, etc.
Now, back to my desk, and I am going to breathe deeply today while I work!

organization 101...continued

2008-09-13T16:07:00.010-05:00

As I look around my studio, I notice that I have a hodge-podge of containers, furniture, and contraptions that hold various supplies. Some of it was given to me, some things that I found were free, the rest was cheap.
I was at an antique sidewalk sale a couple of years ago, and the colors in these tin containers spoke to me:

They are imprinted on the bottom with "Made in Holland". I'm not sure how old they are, but they were $8 for all 4 containers, and I would have paid more. The designs are raised imprints, and you just can't beat the aqua blue and pink combination! I store my tiny flowers in one, SOME of my huge button collection in two, and some tiny hardware in the big one.

Recognize that little cabinet these tins are perched on?

I got it for free from a guy we went to buy some tiles from. It had been sitting out in the rain, and had some old, rusty tools in it. Even after lots of sanding, you can still see the distressed surface, but I love it anyway. It holds all of my rick rack and ribbons and embroidery thread. Major transformation, I'd say. I spent about $10 on paint (in my favorite color, of course) and about $8 on the lovely porcelain knobs.

upcoming events

2008-09-08T19:47:00.005-05:00

I'm organizing a mixed media art workshop in Omaha, and I'm really excited about it! The idea is to have participants make a handmade ornament / artwork, for themselves or for a gift.
I think people really appreciate the thought and care that goes into a handmade gift. It means so much more than just going and buying something (probably something they might not even want or need)
So the 'working' date is November 8, which is a Saturday. I'm getting the venue squared away this week, so I will know a little more about the exact times soon.
I'll be giving you sneak peeks about the projects soon. So if you live in or near the big "O", please think about reserving your spot. There will be a listing in my etsy shop so that everything will go through paypal. It's going to be a fun, comfortable, and social way of creating art!
...also, as promised... here's my little caddy for the rick rack. It used to be all mangled in a pretty big box, and now it's all pretty and organized:) **Check out the chartreuse velvet rick rack! It's to die for!!!!

and a new little house design, just because...

see you soon girlies!

country girl at heart

2008-08-28T21:26:00.017-05:00

I spent the morning getting out of the city and found some wide open spaces. I had some fun with the little sweeties at the farm getting pics:

And I 'freed my mind' as I sung along with some tunes through the country roads... so good for the soul!

~and the little ABC Bloomers that I made last year have done so well in boutiques that I am now making them in adult sizes. They won't have ABC's on them though!

"fall" cleaning

2008-08-27T10:21:00.005-05:00

I know it's supposed to be 'spring' cleaning, but I am always and forever trying to get organized. I hate the feeling of wanting to work on something, and I can't find that bag of pinbacks, or that rhinestone trim (had that problem yesterday), or that bit of brown lace. I think I have an extremely organized personality, and I do like things in order, but sometimes things are in a chaotic state. Add to this law of the universe the fact that I live in a small house, and that I do way more than one craft, and you've got a disaster waiting to happen.
So, for the past couple of years, I have tried various ways to get organized. For awhile these procedures may work, but then the stash gets too big and overwhelming, and I have to rethink it.
This week I decided that plastic bags of various laces and ribbons crammed into an overflowing basket was not workin' for me anymore. (Sorry I didn't take a 'before' pic). But, I was only using ONE of these baskets that slide onto a large bookcase, along with other baskets with other craft goodies in them.
Now, the laces and ribbons are all wrapped on pieces of cardboard, organized by color, of course, and pinned to stay in place. (Similar to the way they are organized in the fabric store):

Notice, also, that now the lace collection takes up TWO baskets as opposed to the orginal ONE basket. I thought it would take up less space, but it takes up more. Oh well, that's the price I have to pay I guess. But it's such a joy to look for a trim and be able to actually find it without digging for half an hour :)
So, next time I'll show you my rick rack box!
The most important thing about organization working though, is the maintenance. So just as with all of my vintage ribbon rolls, as soon as I get the lace or trim I need, I HAVE to remember to wind it back up and put the pin back in! Please leave comments of your favorite organizational tricks!! I need them!